Enemy Grounds
by raindropsonroaches
Summary: War. It's coming. And this time, Jasper and Bella aren't quite so prepared. Sequel to Major and Minor
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! Here's the first chapter of the sequel to Major and Minor. I really hope you all like it. I'm really excited to be writing this story again and I am so incredibly sorry it has taken me this long to get this up. Also! Annette! She's not my character. That's all Stephenie Meyer. I introduced Annette in the epilogue to Major and Minor, which I put up just before I posted this, actually. So please read that! It'll really help you understand this chapter and the story to come. I hope you like this! Feel free to leave me a review! I love you all and I hope you have a fabulous Wednesday! Xx.**

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War. One was coming. Nobody knew it yet, and no one was prepared. This wasn't just any war. It was World War III. But it wouldn't be taking place within the human world. No, this was a war for the vampires. For the wolves. For their lives. And while war was beginning beneath everyone's noses, Bella and Jasper remained (for now) unaware. They wouldn't realize until too late, that the key to this war was not themselves, but their greatest desires, the loves of their lives. But how and why could they be the keys? Everyone lived, and everyone died.

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"Shit, that hurt," Jasper muttered, rubbing at the tender wound on his bicep. A new bite, a new scar.

"I know. Sorry. That one's on me. I threw him your way when I flung him off of me."

"It's okay," the blonde murmured, and it was. He much preferred that he'd taken the bite and not his sister, his Bella.

"Damn newborns. At least he isn't running around terrorizing Venice anymore. The gondola act was clever, though. I think he would've been okay if he hadn't been massacring tourists. Thirty a day is a bit much," the girl said. Jasper smiled. It was true. The gondola act had been very smart. But not quite smart enough. Jasper felt almost sorry for the newborn they had just torn apart. Not everyone was so creative.

"What do you suppose we do now? We've been in that castle for days. If I have to listen to Caius yammering about that human he's having a fling with for a single second longer, I'm going to kill him. The human too maybe. _'She's so interesting when she sleeps!' _Ugh. As if." Jasper rambled, and Bella laughed in high spirits.

"She's gonna call the cops when she finds out he's been watching her sleep. That's creepy. I love Caius and all, but come on. Isn't that a bit much?" Bella laughed.

The pair walked easily together until they reach Piazza San Marco. They halted briefly under an awning, and after a quick scan of their surroundings, Bella said,

"Let's shop. We haven't done anything human in months! I want to try on masks and browse jewelry and pretend to be normal for a little while. The super soldier thing gets a little boring."

Jasper quickly agreed, and they spent the next few hours doing just that. They looked through mask shops, and glass shops, and clothing stores, and even spent a while meandering around the large church the square was named for. Finally, they took a seat at one of the many tables scattered around either side of the plaza.

A band was playing. There were violins and cellos, the whole shebang. To the side, Bella saw a couple, an old one, dancing happily together. Her gaze softened as she watched them twirl. They looked so in love, so ecstatic to be together, to be alive! She missed that. Missed Edward. She sighed a little before tearing her gaze away to look at Jasper. He was ebbing nostalgia, and Bella knew he felt just the same way she did. They hadn't seen their mates in roughly eight months, and the resulting ache could be kind of unbearable. Looking back to the old couple, Bella pushed a thought into their minds, thankful for the powers her gift of knowledge gave her. _You are lucky, _she thought to them, _Very lucky. Cherish each other. Some aren't so fortunate as yourselves. _

She watched as the thought registered in their minds. Their faces shifted, and they pulled each other closer. Bella smiled softly as Jasper poured waves of love into the pair. It was lovely to see. To know that love like that existed for someone, especially when it hadn't for the Whitlocks for so long.

"I want to find them," Bella murmured quietly, keeping her eyes fixed on the dancing couple.

"You know we can't," Jasper responded softly, "They have to come to us this time. Right now, they don't want to be found."

Bella knew he was right. It hurt, but he was right. They had scared the Cullens with their openly vicious actions towards Aro. They'd driven their family away. But they would return- Edward and Alice had _promised. _But promises could be broken, and that scared Bella every day.

It scared Jasper too. He had left Alice, twice, and now she had left him. Honestly, he wouldn't be surprised if she never returned. He was a killing machine, after all, and that was hard to love. But oh, how he_ hoped_ she would.

"They'll come back," he muttered, more to himself than to his sister, "They'll come back. Of course. They have to."

"Yeah," Bella said, but she wasn't so sure. How could angels ever mingle with monsters?

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Edward was going crazy. He missed his brother, his lover, his peace of mind. He wanted to go _back,_ to see Bella at last, but Alice kept stopping him, kept him living in the past.

"Edward, we have to _wait!"_ Alice would cry. And Edward was _so sick_ of hearing it, but he couldn't _ignore it_ (he had tried).

"Why Alice, why wait?" He would demand, "What's the point?"

And she'd fall silent, look away, take a breath, start again.

"We have to wait, Edward, because the family isn't ready. If we leave now and the family is still wounded from our last encounter, they'll turn against us too."

"'_Last encounter,'_ Alice, like they're the enemy? This is ridiculous! It's gone too far! I'm leaving!" And then Alice would yell, "Annette, please help!"

And she'd appear. Edward resented her, but he loved her too. She was another little sister. She would stand at Alice's side and say,

"Please, Edward, don't go. Wait just a while longer, let Carlisle and Esme even out, please don't go." And her eyes would water, and Edward would snarl, _"No." _

But the two girls together were surprisingly strong. And so Edward was a prisoner inside his own home.

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Annette loved her new family. She truly did. Edward was the charming brother to brag about she had always wanted, Emmett was protective, she had _parents_ now, sisters and friends! It was so foreign to her. And she loved it. She was afraid to meet Bella and Jasper. She was the one who needed to "even out" before the Cullens went to Italy again. She was so scared the soldiers wouldn't like her, or worse, that they would take her place. She had been so alone for so long…

But she was starting to realize that she needed to get over it. This meeting had to happen sometime. And so the next time Edward confronted Alice, Annette wouldn't say "don't go." She would say, "okay Edward. Let's all do it. Let's go."

Being frozen at sixteen meant she could be rather insecure. And she was _so nervous_; what if they _hated_ her, oh God, oh no.

But it would make Alice and Edward happy, and she knew it was time. She just hoped this was right. Hoped things would be fine.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2, just for you! Thanks so much for your wonderful responses to the first chapter and for taking the time to read my writing. I love you all so much! Thank you thank you thank you! Xx.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. **

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Annette didn't have to wait long. A bout three weeks after her decision to let Edward and Alice go after their mates, to stop withholding their happiness, Edward had a meltdown. It started off small. Annette noticed he seemed a bit distracted while they were on a hunting trip. His marble face was worried, tense, his bronze hair the most unruly she had ever seen it. He was thinking of Bella, she knew, and her heart clenched for him. She knew what it was like to lose love. It was the one human experience she hadn't forgotten, the warmth that flowed so strongly through a person when in the presence of the one they cared most about. And the paralyzing chill left behind when the two halves of the whole are torn apart. Annette didn't like to think about it. Shuddering a little, Annette reminded herself that Edward's love was not lost, simply absent. But she imagined it could be just as bad. She watched Edward flinch away from Carlisle and Esme as they shared a chaste kiss, saw his eyes dim, watched his face crumple for a fraction of a second before his mask of stone returned.

"Hey, Edward," Annette called, "Care for a race?" She smiled a little as she watched him mull it over. He was going to decline.

"Come brother," she whispered quietly, moving towards him and placing a dainty hand on his arm, "It will take your mind off things."

Edward gazed down into the golden doe eyes of Annette, knowing there was no way he could deny his young sister her wish. He nodded once, a little reluctantly, before giving a fractured smile and taking off into the trees. The finish line was the Canadian border. It always was.

As the two ran, Annette saw her brother begin to relax, and eventually they were smiling and laughing.

"There's no way you're going to make it!" Edward yelled, and Annette giggled before calling back a retort.

"You amuse me when you speak with yourself, Edward! Do try not to hurt yourself!"

They tossed witty banter at one another for what seemed like hours to Annette, who smiled as she watched Edward ease up. She was pleased she had established such a good relationship with him. Hopefully Bella wouldn't be _too_ jealous. Annette snorted in amusement at her own thoughts, and heard Edward mutter and "Oh_, please,"_ from somewhere nearby. And then all at once Annette was running alone. Edward had stopped, seemingly frozen, on the edge of a line of trees.

He stared into the meadow before him, his expression surprised, and soon after devastated. Annette didn't understand. This meadow was lovely, why was he so sad?

"This place is just _beautiful,_ Edward, isn't it?" Annette seemed briefly excited, but when her mind reading companion made no move to respond, her face became painted with concern that he was so upset once again. But what had happened? He had been just fine moments ago!

Edward stepped slowly into the small clearing, moving to sit on a rock beside the small river he remembered so well. How many times had he sat there with his Isabella? They had visited the place so often he couldn't seem to remember. And then finally, his walls broke. He looked up at Annette, who was still standing by the trees, and murmured quietly,

"It's our spot, we nearly _met_ here, I miss her so much, Annette, and I just- I want to go _home_." The home he was speaking of wasn't the mansion back in Forks of course, but his Bella.

"How did we get here?" he whispered, "We were in _Colorado_. How- _why are we back in Washington?_ I _miss_ her, Annette, please, _please_, let me go home."

Annette's face softened as she walked towards her broken brother. His eyes appeared like shattered glass, his face so desperately lonely that she could _see_ where his heart had cracked and crumbed into darkness. Taking a seat next to him, she said gently,

"Okay. Go, Edward. Find her. I'm sorry I've held you back this long. I've just- I've been afraid. Afraid you'll forget about me when your Bella comes back, and that everyone else will too. She and her brother- they sound so _wonderful_, Edward. How am I supposed to compete with that?"

Edward shook his head as she spoke, and his voice cracked a little as he gave his response. Her fears were silly, preposterous! The Cullens never forgot _anyone_.

"No, Annette, we won't forget you, just as Bella could never forget Jasper, and vice versa. We're a _family_, sister, not simply a coven. We don't fight for our places in Carlisle's home. And you won't have to fight for yours. I love you, we all do, and I'm sorry you're afraid, but… Annie, I'm falling apart inside. I- I _need_ her. I need Bella to survive."

_Annie_, Annette thought. A nickname. She liked it, though it wasn't quite what she was used to.

Smiling sadly, Annette nodded to herself.

"I know. And I should never have kept you from finding her, or Alice from returning to Jasper. God, I know I've been tearing Alice up with this. I'm so sorry, Edward, honestly, to you both. Please, go to your love, and take Alice away to find hers. I'll miss you brother. Come home soon."

Kissing Edward's temple, Annette rose and walked swiftly from the clearing, a bittersweet smile forming on her face. She would be losing part of her brother, and her sister too, but maybe she would gain something from the ordeal. Maybe Jasper and Bella would love her _just_ as much as she already loved them. Either way, she felt things were beginning to fall into place nicely. She would just have to wait for the end results.

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They were back in the castle. The second they had walked through the door, Demetri had pulled Bella away by the arm, muttering furiously about missed appointments and such. Felix made to dart toward Jasper to do the same, but Jasper gave a low snarl, his eyes glowing with a red tint for only a millisecond before they returned to their typical topaz and he pushed his way past the former member of the Guard. He was done saving the world for the day. He and Bella hadn't had a day off in six months. And he was going to take one. Maybe even a week of them! He certainly deserved it, and his sister did too. He wished he had been able to scare Demetri off before he'd gotten to Bella, but he knew if he tried now it would only cause more trouble for them both in the long run. Demetri could be spiteful. Still the intense waves of aggravation rolling off of Bella caused him unease. He felt bad that she had been sucked back into the terror zone after they'd had such a nice day out. The nicest day they had experienced in a long time. And Demetri was ruining it.

Jasper sighed. There wasn't anything he could do about it now. He strode down the corridors of the large palace until he reached the room he had claimed as his own, where he flopped down onto the bed and closed his eyes, pushing his hair back with one of his hands. It had been a long, long few months. Hours passed like years nowadays, and it was really starting to get to him. And he missed Alice, missed his _family_. Carefully, he slipped the note Alice had left him from his pocket, unfolding it for what seemed like the millionth time before rereading the elegant script.

_Sweet Jasper, how I love you_

_You mean the stars to me_

_I'll come back to see you someday_

_Please, love, wait for me. _

He would. He'd wait for Alice until the world came to an end, and even after that if he had to. _Of course_ he would wait. She had waited centuries for him, and now he was prepared to do the same. That didn't mean it would be easy. He ached to see his angel, the very first girl to save his life. He had been without her long enough, and now she'd torn herself away from him. Why, he wondered, as he often did, had she done it? And why had Edward left too? And Carlisle, and Esme, and Emmett, and Rose? Why had they left when Jasper and Bella needed them most? The answer would be revealed to them eventually, and while Jasper wasn't particularly pleased with the wait, he couldn't blame them, as he had once done the same. Until then, he and Bella would fight again, would hold each other up as they always had before. After all, they were the most important to each other, mates and covens set aside. What was one to expect when centuries passed together, saving each other's lives? And they had saved each other in more ways than one, and still did so every day. Jasper gave Bella hope, and strength, a pillar to lean on when all others failed. Bella in turn, taught Jasper confidence, acceptance, and tolerance the likes of which Jasper had never known before. The Whitlocks truly believed that if they were to be split apart, they would no longer be able to function. And so while Jasper needed Alice, he needed Bella too, and her support through the hard times was enough to get him through.

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Demetri, Bella thought, was a pain in the ass. Ever since she'd walked back into the castle he had been trying to tear her down with insults and rebukes. She questioned why she hadn't killed him when they had killed Aro. She wished she had. The longer he spoke to her, the more furious she became. How dare he say these things to her? She had been sorting laws, settling arguments, breaking up armies for months- _months!-_ to no end. She hadn't had a day off, hadn't taken a _single_ damn break and here Demetri was, acting high and mighty, like he was part of the Guard again. This was bullshit. She was done with it.

"I _swear_, Whitlock, you're so _damn_ irresponsible. How can we expect you to run the vampire world if you're always _breaking rules_ and _skipping out_ on the duties _we assign to you?_ If you keep this up, we'll be forced to replace you. We'll put Caius and Marcus back in the throne. Do you _understand _me Isabella? We won't tolerate any more of this poor behavior, either from yourself or your ill-tempered brother. We've had about _enough_," Demetri sneered, leaning close to Bella as the end of his tirade drew near, "_So knock it off."_

And that was it. Bella couldn't handle him anymore. She was seeing red, ebbing anger, shifting into the mindset of a gladiator rather than that of an eighteen year old girl. She whirled rapidly to face the other vampire, and with a force that shouldn't have surprised Demetri, shoved him backwards and into a wall. She pinned him there by his throat, lifting him just slightly from the floor. She stared up into his eyes with a vicious expression, one that Demetri thought might melt him.

"Let me remind _you, Demetri_, that _you_ do not _call the shots around here_. Caius and Marcus _had their chance_ to take the throne, and when they found we were staying here, _declined._ And they will _decline again_. That ship has _sailed,_ you sorry coward. And I'll have you know that Jasper, my rather _well-_tempered brother thank you, and I have been _fighting_ and _sorting_ and _doing_ ever since we killed that _bastard_ Aro! No pauses, no breaks, no _rest_, nothing! Certainly no thanks from _you!_ You _are not my superior._ You assign me _nothing,_ and if anyone's poor behavior won't be tolerated, _it is yours_. I will not hesitate to kill you Demetri, not if you continue to _stand in my way_. I'm not as friendly as I seem, and my conscience is rather scarce nowadays. So _straighten up_, because as of right now, you're going to be a _dead man_."

Bella released Demetri from her iron grip, and as he fell wide-eyed to the floor, Bella snarled a last warning before turning her back on him and beginning to stalk towards her room, or Jasper's room, wherever her brother was.

She heard Demetri coming. As he flung himself at her back, Bella pivoted to block the attack and throw him to the ground. She flattened him there with a physical shield, and gradually she tightened the shield around him until he had been squeezed into a fine powder, just as Jane had. She smiled when she finished, lit a match that she pulled from her pocket, and burned the pile of dirt that had once been Demetri. The burning wasn't necessary, as there was really no coming back from being turned to dust, but Bella enjoyed the crackling noise the small fire made behind her as she continued on her way.

"Can't say I didn't warn the roach. My _goodness_, does the gift of knowledge come in handy sometimes! Gotta love that shield," Bella smiled as she began her search for Jasper. By the time she found him, her mood had improved considerably. Jasper wanted a week off, she knew, and they were going to take it. After the episode with Demetri, no one was going to stop them.

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"Oh, _damn_," Felix muttered as he came across the smoldering pile that had once been his friend. "I _knew_ he shouldn't have dragged her off like that. I _told_ him he was getting out of line, too! Demetri, man, what'd you _do_?"

The answer was quickly supplied. The event of Demetri's end was pushed into his mind with near brutal force, and the message was clearly received. Bella had pushed the happening out to everyone in the castle, so no one would be questioning the Whitlocks anytime soon. Or ever, rather.

_We're taking the week off_, she thought to her fellow residents of Volterra, _Don't go trying to stop us._

Felix heard Jasper laughing softly as Bella told him how she had disintegrated Demetri. These two vampires, the Whitlocks, they were more than they seemed, Felix remembered, and he shuddered as he recalled just how vicious, how feral, the two could truly be.

And that made his task harder. Felix had some news for the siblings, and he wasn't so sure it could wait a whole week.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey! So here's the third chapter! It's a little short, but since I'm off school for a bit I'll be able to post again soon! I hope you like it. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and as always thank you all so, so much for your kindness and support. You're the best. Xx. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. **

* * *

So maybe killing Demetri hadn't been entirely necessary. At this point, Bella didn't care anymore. Was she a monster? Maybe. Did it bother her? Not at all. Killing Demetri had gotten the Whitlocks out of the castle- out of the _country_- for a week, and the two soldiers were determined that no one would find them.

They'd secluded themselves in a cave somewhere. They honestly didn't know where they were. They hadn't checked and Bella hadn't asked. Either way, no one was going to find them.

"This is ridiculous," Bella muttered, leaning her head back against the dark cave wall, "I should not have to _kill_ a person to get a week off. Demetri was a good fighter, too. Shame, really."

Jasper smiled a little as he looked up toward the ceiling. He couldn't disagree. And he couldn't help but think that this would all be so much easier to handle if the family had simply stuck around. Eight vampires in control, rather than two.

The blonde let out a deep sigh.

"I just…wish they were _here_."

Bella knew just what her brother meant, and after mulling it over, decided there wasn't really a good response to his statement. Instead of the answers she wished she could give, she murmured gently, "Me too."

The odd pair sat silently for what seemed like days, basking in the comfort provided by the presence of the other. The silence was only broken when Bella's mind wandered to Edward, and she took in a sharp gasp of surprise.

Jasper straightened where he sat, ready to face a threat, defend his sister, but seconds later he found none of that was necessary. Bella hopped to her feet, her pale face bright with joy and excitement as she cried,

"They're coming back! Alice and Edward! _Jasper_, they're coming _back_!"

Bella laughed as she felt waves of euphoria explode outward from her brother, and both paused for a single moment to share a glance filled with anticipation.

And then they were gone, off to find their other halves, to make themselves whole again.

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Alice and Edward went quickly, catching the first plane to Italy they could find, only to be told that Jasper and Bella weren't "at home." Edward scoffed at Felix's word choice. The castle could hardly be considered a _home_. Nevertheless, the pair was undiscouraged. They were going to find Jasper and Bella if it was the last thing they did, and they weren't going to wait a week to do it. They were going to find them _now_.

"Maybe Forks?" Alice suggested, but Edward shook his head. The Whitlocks knew better. The Cullens hadn't wanted to be found, and so they wouldn't go looking.

"No. Not Forks. Somewhere more secluded, probably. Sounds kind of like they were running away." Alice nodded. That made things considerably more difficult. Unlike the Cullens, the Whitlocks were actually hard to find. You didn't go to them, they found _you_.

They looked for days to no avail, and finally resigned themselves and returned to wait at Volterra. But a week passed, and then two, and still there were no signs of the warriors ever having come or gone. As the days traveled by, concern grew. Something was wrong somewhere. Otherwise they'd have been back by now.

* * *

They ran side by side, laughing freely as they went. Edward and Alice, _Edward and Alice! Finally_, they were returning! The last few months had seemed to last _years_, but now they were coming back! Things were looking up for once!

And then they weren't.

Suddenly, Bella was flying backwards through the air and Jasper was being knocked violently to the ground. Bella's shields exploded from her as the two registered the attack, throwing off whoever had made to assault them and allowing them to take on fighting stances.

"What the hell?" Bella mumbled in annoyance, crouching with her back against Jasper's. The two surveyed the area, but nothing seemed out of place.

"I don't know," Jasper responded, obviously a little shaken. He reached out to his surroundings, trying to pinpoint the emotions of their assailant, and hopefully their location. "I can't feel anyone-"

He was cut off as Bella let out a low hiss.

"Another shield." She was silent for a moment, closing her eyes as she tested the shield that was pressing against her own. Jasper immersed himself in Bella's feelings as she did so, and was immediately alarmed when a strong sense of fear made its way to his mind. It was Bella's no doubt, and then it was his as she turned to him, eyes wide, face ashen.

"Jasper, we need to _go_, they're stronger than me, they're breaking my shields, we need to _leave_, _now_."

Jasper nodded quickly in agreement, but as they turned to flee, Bella was knocked to the ground, the force pressing against her own overcoming her, until Jasper sent the largest burst of energy he could to his fellow soldier.

It wasn't much, but it was enough. Bella used the burst to throw her shield back outwards just long enough to protect the pair as they disappeared through the woods, running as quickly as they could.

They ran silently, Bella doing her best to hide all traces of the vampire rulers, stopping in a crowded city several hundred miles from their previous location. No vampire would attack there, not with all the humans around. They wouldn't risk exposure. At least, that's what Jasper and Bella were banking on.

As the two merged into the mass of people running about, they shared a panicked look and linked hands. For now, all they had was each other. But maybe this time, it wasn't enough.

* * *

Rosalie was worried. Edward and Alice had been gone too long, and Bella and Jasper had been gone even longer. Why had they disappeared again? What was going on?

_They're probably out saving the world or something, _Rosalie thought, _They'll be back soon. _

But she didn't really believe it. The two had traveled by themselves for centuries before. There was no guarantee they'd ever be seen again really, not with their lifestyle.

_But they're the best, _she reminded herself, _They haven't lost a fight yet. They'll protect each other, and they love us, and they'll show up eventually. They always do._

Before she could begin to doubt the thought, a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her, and a gentle voice murmured comforting words into her ear. Emmett. She didn't know what she'd do without him.

"It's okay, Rosie," he whispered, "It will all be okay."

And as Rosalie looked up into Emmett's warm topaz eyes, she knew it would be. Emmett, however, couldn't help but disagree.

* * *

"What was that?" Jasper mumbled darkly as he and Bella stalked the streets.

"I don't _know_," Bella huffed, "And I _won't_ know because I can't find out."

Jasper's head turned sharply at that, his eyes narrowing.

"There's never been a single thing you couldn't dredge up some facts on. What's so different about this?"

"That's what I'm _telling_ you, Jasper,_ I don't know. _All I can tell you is that it was stronger than me, that it's _still_ stronger than me. And I'm _scared_, Major. What do we do?"

Her voice, which had risen in volume, trailed off in a shaky whisper as she turned to her brother. They stood still in the crowd of people flowing around them, aware of the inconvenience they were causing, but neither could find it in themselves to care.

Jasper put a hand to Bella's face, and gazing earnestly into her eyes, he murmured,

"Me too. I'm afraid, darlin', _terrified_. But we are going to be okay. I promised you a long time ago I'd keep you safe, Minor, and it's a promise I'm going to keep. You'll be okay. And I'll-"

"Be okay too," Bella interrupted, removing his hand from her face and instead clutching it in both of her own. She looked at the ground for a moment, took a deep breath, looked back up into Jasper's eyes. He saw determination there, replacing the fear, felt it seeping through her as she spoke to him.

"You promised to protect me, Jasper Whitlock, but I promised to protect you, too. And I will. I love you, brother, and I will not lose you. Whatever it takes, Jasper, I'll get you out of this alive, and if I fail and I break my promise, you will not go down alone. Always together, Major, you and I, but never, _ever_ apart. We can do this. We're superheroes." She smiled a little, but she could tell she had shocked Jasper. She knew he wouldn't want her to die if he did, but she also knew he wouldn't stop her. And that he'd do the same. He knew it too. For all they had to live for, they needed each other the most. Bella made Jasper feel normal, helped him feel like a person, a _human_ even, rather than a monster. He'd been so self-destructive before she had helped him see the light that he feared her absence. And Bella needed Jasper to show her she was a person too, a good one, someone worthy to hold the stars. Bella, once upon a time, had been quite self-destructive too.

"We have to disappear," Jasper frowned, "Until whatever we're facing is taken care of, we have to go away again." Because, he thought, if they were to die, the Cullens couldn't know. They were too attached. Jasper and Bella couldn't do that to them.

Bella gave a jerky nod, and tears that wouldn't fall stung in her eyes. Jasper immersed her in what little comfort he could muster to send her, and pulling her under his arm, they began to walk down the street. They didn't know where they would go from here, but they supposed the nearest airport was a start.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, everybody! I cannot express how incredibly sorry I am that this chapter has taken me so long. I was working on a couple of stories for my friends recently and pushed this one off to the side. I'm very sorry! It won't happen again! I hope you all had wonderful holidays and that you enjoy this chapter. Thank you all so, so much for taking the time to read and respond. It ****_truly_**** means the world to me. Happy Sunday! Xx.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. **

* * *

They were going to follow Riley's lead and hide in plain sight. They were returning to Texas. To stay this time. It was a bittersweet move, as they both missed the warm state and were excited to go back, but the last thing either of them wanted to do was disappear again.

Jasper stared out the window of the plane they were on, sighing as he looked through the clouds. He tried not to think about what he was leaving behind- again. Try as he might, he couldn't shake the image of Alice's scared face as she found herself in front of the door the first time the Whitlocks had left for Italy. _"You can't leave! Not- not without me,"_ she had cried, and the look in her eyes had almost torn Jasper apart. She had been terrified he would leave her, terrified that she wasn't _enough_. And now, as he refused to be found, he knew she was convincing herself that she _hadn't_ been enough- for a _third_ time- and that she would _never_ be enough for Jasper. Which simply wasn't true. The truth was that Jasper wasn't enough for _Alice_. She was so, _so_ good, inside and out. _No one _had a better heart than his Alice did. And Jasper was just the opposite. He had changed since the Southern wars, certainly, but there was still a part of him that was a savage, that would _always_ be a savage, and at this point he had stopped trying to hold it back. The years of murder and torture and Hell had fractured a part of Jasper, and for all Alice and Bella had done, he knew he was never going to be the same, never going to be _good_ the way the rest of the Cullens were. Even Rosalie, with her hardened heart, only had the best of intentions. But Jasper often found himself staring at people, finding similarities between their faces and his former victims, imagined himself tearing them to pieces. Edward knew it, Alice knew it, and Bella knew it too. But Bella understood him, to a degree, and his only regret was that he had made her that way. And even with someone to understand him, he knew there would never be a person who could truly _fix_ him, now matter how much he wished it so. And he _did_ wish, _all the time,_ that he could be good enough for Alice, that he could make _her_ as happy as she made _him_. Lately it seemed he caused her more pain than happiness,and he hated himself for it. One day, he knew, the pain would be too much, and she would leave _him_, but she wouldn't come back. It was one of Jasper's two greatest fears. The other was that Bella would do the same, would realize he was doing her no good, would up and leave, would decide not to care.

Before he could dwell too much on the thought, Bella smacked him in the shoulder, drawing him back to reality as she muttered, "Never," and sent out the largest burst of love and sincerity she could dwell up. Jasper's lips curled up in a slight smile as he bathed in the warmth of his sister's emotions, though it dissipated soon after as his thoughts returned to Alice.

Bella straightened in her seat as he sank back into his depressing thoughts, and turned to face him with fiery eyes.

"Stop it," she snapped, "Alice would wait for you until the damn _stars_ burned out if she had to, and I'll travel with you just as long."

Jasper made to interrupt her, to refute her claims, but he felt a hot flash of anger flow through his sister, though it was gone quickly as she stated,

"Jasper, we'd never leave you because we _love_ you. Do you know _why_ she would wait for the stars to fade? Why I would stand by your side until the same stars stopped existing? Because you _deserve_ them, Jasper, you _deserve_ the stars, and you deserve to be loved, and you deserve to _love yourself. _So stop this game of _'what if'_ that you're playing and _take_ them. Take the stars you're being offered, brother. You'd be a fool to throw them away."

Bella did not speak for the rest of the flight, instead choosing to close her eyes and lose herself in the mysteries that could be unraveled within her mind. As she withdrew from the world, Jasper considered her words. Maybe he _would_ take them, the stars he meant. Not all of them, of course, but perhaps one or two.

* * *

Annette was frantic. Someone was after her. She was running, _running_, as fast as she could, but she wasn't fast _enough_, she couldn't _get away._ She'd been running for _hours_, and she'd been followed just as long. But she couldn't _escape_ and _God_, she was scared. Everything would have been _fine_ if Edward and Alice had been at home. Alice would have seen this in a _vision_, or Edward would have heard her attacker's _mind_. Or maybe not, as whatever was after her seemed to be rather invisible.

Annette wasn't sure how much longer she could keep going without being caught. The thing was close now, so _close_ now, and she knew it would overtake her eventually. But what would happen when it did? She didn't know and she really, _really_ didn't want to find out. She turned her head to look behind her, which proved to be a mistake, as her hair whipped forward when she turned to face forward once again, and successfully covered her eyes. Unable to see through the mass of soft mahogany, and unable to tell where the force chasing after her was, she had no other choice than to halt for a fraction of a second, to wipe her hair from her eyes. But that fraction of a second was all her attacker needed, and just as she cleared her vision, she lost her senses.

* * *

Edward and Alice had taken up residence in what was now known as "Major's Manor." The name amused Alice. She had never thought the Volturi's castle would bear her husband's name. Well, rank really, but she was proud just the same. But her husband wasn't here, wasn't leading, wasn't _going_ to be, and Caius and Marcus were trying _desperately_ to find someone to fill the thrones. And by trying desperately, she meant attempting to reestablish themselves.

"It's only plausible," Marcus insisted, "We know the rules better than they do. We can rule justly without them!"

Edward and Alice were sick and tired of this. They had been hearing this since the second week Bella and Jasper had been away. Caius and Marcus mostly bickered back and forth between themselves and Felix, who was adamant that the former Volturi rulers forget they had ever sat upon a throne.

"Who else is there to do it?!" Caius shrieked, "No one! Nobody wants to take this on!" And it was true. Overseeing every vampire in the world was a big job- a _huge_ job- and absolutely _no one_ wanted it. Except, of course, Marcus and Caius. _They_, however, would not be reclaiming their thrones. Alice was sure of it, and Edward was too, because finally, when it was clear that the Whitlocks had disappeared indefinitely, and the two Cullens had grown tired of hearing the Italian vampires argue, Alice and Edward took control.

"Tell me, Felix," Caius had barked, "Who else is there? Who is there to take the throne? There are no other options!" Felix was lost for a response. He couldn't say Caius was wrong. But he couldn't let Caius take back the throne. Not after all Bella and Jasper had done _right_ while they were there. They'd done more for the vampire world in the eight months they had ruled than in the thousands of years the Volturi had reigned. And Felix couldn't let it go back to that. He _wouldn't_. He refused to allow it. He would _die_ first. So when Caius had screamed at him, had shouted that there were no other options, Felix was terribly relieved when the one and only Edward Cullen stated seriously, "There are _always_ other options," from the doorway of the large ballroom in which the argument had taken place. The mind reader's face was taut, his eyes steely as he stared down the man who had tried to kill him on more than one occasion. Caius may have been a friend of Bella's, but he was no friend of his.

Beside Edward, Alice stood, just as darkly serious as her brother seemed. Caius was surprised by their demeanors. They'd been the friendliest of friendly just a few hours before, but now, staring at them and ignoring Marcus' quiet mumbles from someplace behind him, he saw why Aro had been so afraid of the Cullens. The amiable pair that had greeted Caius earlier in the day was gone now, and the two vampires who stood before him looked vicious. They were obviously trained in battle, perhaps not as well as the Whitlocks had been, but certainly better than the other three vampires in the room. More than that, they were unafraid. The former leaders could tell just by looking at them that any challenge they tried to pose would be dealt with quickly and effectively. Nonetheless, Caius twisted his face into an expression of aggravation as he took a step towards the vegetarians.

"Always other options, _hm_? Go ahead, _Edward! _Put forth another option, another solution to this problem that your mates have left behind. I'd _love_ to hear it."

Edward didn't like the tone Caius was using, and he was pleased by the blonde's surprised reaction when the mindreader appeared before him suddenly, standing menacingly only inches away.

"Option one:" he hissed, "We take over until Bella and Jasper come back, no questions asked, no objections given."

"Or!" Alice chimed pleasantly from where she remained at the door, "Option _two: _we take over and we kill you trying! Take your pick, _boys! _Because whatever happens, you will _never_ take back that throne." Alice's tone was feral now, animalistic somehow, and the former leaders couldn't help but feel fear trickle through their bodies. Even still, they attempted to make a last protest. However, before either could utter a single syllable, Alice and Edward had taken action, and the Italians were both pinned in place by strong hands at their necks.

_"Don't say it,_" Alice snarled, "Don't tell us we're not good enough. Because if we're good enough for Jasper and Bella, we're sure as _hell_ too good for _you_."

With snarls of finality, both Cullens dropped their aggravators to the floor, snarling as they pivoted and disappeared from the room.

Felix smiled as they went. This was a good thing. If Jasper and Bella couldn't do it, Edward and Alice were the second best in line. He sighed in relief as he processed what had happened. Thank God for Carlisle Cullen. Where would the world be without him? Where would _Felix_ be? Still serving under the Volturi probably. He shuddered at the thought and quickly shook it away. Those were memories he had no interest in remembering.

Exiting the room before the bewildered Italians could begin their angry tirades, Felix heaved another sigh, this one in exasperation rather than relief. He still had news to tell. But how would he make Edward and Alice _understand?_

* * *

She'd found Annette _(finally)_, and she had been _so close _to nabbing the Whitlocks. _Oh_, she was _so angry_ when the girl had thrown out her shields in a last desperate attempt to escape. It hadn't been much, but it had been enough. And to _think_, all that _time_ she had spent tracking the soldiers down, _just_ for them to disappear again! Finding them a second time was going to prove quite the inconvenience. _Ugh_, and she had searched for _so long!_ What an outrage.

Despite all of these little tasks she was dreading, she laughed to herself. Because, _really_, it was only a matter of time.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to put this up. I don't know if anyone else has been having issues managing their stories, but I certainly have! Anyhow, thank you all so much for your patience and your ever kind responses. You're all phenomenal. Happy Friday! Xx.**

* * *

Esme was scared. Alice and Edward were gone, they wouldn't answer their phones, Bella and Jasper were- God, she didn't _know_ where, but she wished the family hadn't left them- what a horrible _mistake_ that had been- and now Annette, sweet Annette, she was missing too. How had this happened? _Why was her family falling apart? _

No one had seen Annette in days. The remaining Cullens had chased her scent for hundreds and hundreds of miles, only to come to a dead end. The scent had just…stopped. Disappeared. They had tracked it halfway across the country only to find it had _vanished_.

So now Esme sat, with her head in her hands, and she cried. All of this trouble had started when they'd left the Whitlocks, an idea Carlisle had created.

"Give them some time here," he had said, "Let them sort this out. They need to be here. They need to take the thrones." Which was true. The world needed Jasper and Bella to control Volterra. They needed justice and safety, which only the two soldiers would be able to bring. But looking back on things, maybe the Cullens could have helped. Esme was sure that her slightly scary children could have used a hand, and she only felt worse for denying it to them. Why had she listened to Carlisle? Why did she _ever_ listen to Carlisle? Ever since Jasper had come back and brought Isabella along, Carlisle had desired nothing more than to put them beneath himself, somehow. And he had done it, now. He'd convinced the family to leave, breaking the poor lonely hearts of the soldiers they'd left behind. Meanwhile, the hearts of the coven had been damaged too. Esme missed her children, Emmett and Rose desperately longed for the playful camaraderie the Whitlocks had brought to their lives, and Esme didn't even want to think about Alice and Edward. Carlisle, of course, was fine and dandy. He had returned to his sympathetic self since the Whitlocks had gone, and honestly, it was a change Esme resented. Jasper and Bella had saved his life! Where was the appreciation? For a while, in Italy, Carlisle seemed he may have come to terms with the pair, but now that the Cullens were back in the States, in Colorado, of all places, it was clear that Carlisle had come to terms with no one but himself. Esme couldn't understand why her husband had cast the Whitlocks out as he had. For Heaven's sake, Jasper had lived with them for a century or more before he'd left! Carlisle had known him, had loved him fiercely, and now he wanted nothing to do with him! Esme had seen the wistful looks in Jasper's and Bella's eyes when they glanced at the coven leader. It was so clear to Esme, _so very clear, _that these two vampires simply wished to be loved for who they were, rather than for whatever they had once been, or would never be.

And Esme would give them that. Her mother's intuition would draw her to them, she knew, and she wanted it that way. Everyone else in her family had gone, or planned to go, and if she couldn't beat them, she'd join them. Standing from her previous spot on the couch, Esme steeled herself, ran a hand through her bouncy caramel hair, and began to walk towards the door.

By the time Carlisle came home from his shift at the hospital, Esme was long gone.

* * *

It had been weeks since Annette disappeared, and finally she was making her way home. Her captor, whoever it had been, seemed to have disappeared for awhile, and leaping at the chance, Annette bolted away from the prison she'd been in. She didn't know where she was or how to get where she was going, but at that moment she didn't care. She just had to get _away_ first, from wherever she had been. She could get directions to the Cullen home later. She came upon a river as she ran, and came screeching to a halt as she caught her reflection. She dropped to her knees before the water, her dark hair falling forward around her face as she peered at herself in the smooth waves. Her eyes, oh _no_, they were a bright crimson red. It was like she was a newborn again. She ran a delicate hand beneath her eyes, trying in vain to will the color away. What would the family think? It would take months for her eyes to return to their pure topaz color. Skittering backwards and away from the haunting image of her eyes, Annette turned and fled another way. She felt sick knowing that the blood she'd been fed while in captivity had been human. Carlisle would be so disappointed in her, she worried. Goodness, what was she going to _do_? She didn't know and she couldn't figure it out. Overwhelmed by whatever was going on, Annette sank to the ground and closed her eyes, losing herself in happier thoughts, and managed to give a small smile.

* * *

Carlisle couldn't imagine why Esme had left or where she had gone, but he missed her dearly. It had been weeks since his wife had vanished, since his children had begun to scatter, and now, with nothing left to hold the family together, Emmett and Rosalie were leaving too. As the vampire doctor watched his remaining children pack their few belongings, he tried to pinpoint the moment when the life he had built for himself began to collapse. All of this had begun with Bella and Jasper, he thought bitterly, and then he sighed to himself as he shook his head. This was his doing. He had refused to accept the soldiers, had shunned them, condemned them, even, in his mind. He was angry they had stolen the hearts of Edward and Alice, angry that Esme had so easily taken them under her wing, angry that they had won over Emmett and Rose. Again, he shook his head. The Whitlocks weren't really the problem. If he was being honest, all of this had happened because Carlisle was angry at _himself_. He was angry that he had inadvertently driven Jasper away, had subconsciously belittled his son until he felt so small he left the family and went back to war. He was angry that he hadn't been able to provide a better family for Jasper than Bella had, and angry that now, he couldn't give either soldier the love they deserved, the love Jasper had once had. And it killed him, to peer into the eyes of the Whitlocks and see the shattered hope there, the dashed dreams for a father figure to lead them, to act as a guide. He wanted so much to be there for them, to care for them as members of the Cullen coven, rather than as visitors from out of town. So why couldn't he do it? He didn't _know_, he _truly_ did _not_ know. He slumped down on the couch, running a pale hand through his abnormally unruly blonde hair. This was all his fault, everything was his fault entirely. He'd built a coven and he'd torn it down. Why? Why had things gone this way?

So now, as Carlisle watched his last children make their ay towards the door, sparing only a short, sad backward glance at their father, Carlisle tried to think of a solution to this mess, tried to find a way to keep Emmett and Rose there, to bring Esme and Edward and Alice home, to love Jasper and Bella.

But as the front door swung shut with a quiet click of finality, Carlisle realized that once again, he had failed to find the words to say.

* * *

She peered through the woods as the large brute and his icy blonde mate exited the Cullen home and made for the garage, where they loaded their belongings into their vehicles and sped away. This was _perfect_.

The family had fallen apart! And Carlisle was _desperate_ for a companion, for some sort of assurance that he hadn't been the sole cause of all this drama. Of course, he _had_ been, but who was she to deny a wounded man comfort? _That_, however would have to wait until later. Annette still had to be found (_ugh_, again) and the Whitlocks hunted before she could make any sort of a move on the handsome doctor. And _oh_, what a move it would _be!_

* * *

Bella was bitter. She didn't want to _leave_, or to _hide_, or fight any sort of _weird_ _ass_ _vampire_ and their _weird_ _ass_ _powers_. She wanted _Edward_, and she wanted to _move out_ of Volterra, and she wanted to feel normal for a _moment_, just a _single_ moment. As things went, that seemed rather impossible, and so for now she had taken to dwelling on Italy and who had taken up their spots when she and her brother had left.

As much as she loved Caius and Marcus, she was a little worried about them taking back Italy. She was unsure they were strong enough to actually change anything, to make the effort to rule by the Whitlock's standards, and honestly, she didn't want to have to kill them when she and Jasper returned, which they would have to do if they proved unable to follow their laws. Despite all their differences, Marcus and Caius had been good friends, surprisingly reliable ones, at that. As her train of thought developed, she decided to melt into their minds for a bit, to see how things were going without making her presence there known. She went to Caius first, as he had been a closer friend to her than Marcus had. Sifting through Caius' thoughts, she was confused to be met with a strong sense or anger. He was _irate_. As such, his thoughts were muddled and unclear, so she pulled out of his mind and sank gently into the thoughts of Marcus, who was pleasantly surprised, proud, and a bit relieved. Bella didn't know what to make of this until she began to evenly separate the layers of knowledge he held within him. Finally finding the source of his emotions, and probably Caius' too, she sucked in a sharp breath, drawing her brother's attention, and then his presence when she quietly gasped his name.

Jasper was at her side in less than a second, kneeling beside her where she had sunk to the ground. They'd been on a hunt, but Bella had finished up before he had, and had been casually standing to the side, waiting for him to finish up as she lost herself in thought.

"Minor?" he inquired, voice frantic as he peered into her shocked, scared eyes, "Minor, what's going on?_ Bella!" _

She reached out for him, still stunned into silence, and he pulled her into his arms as she stared blankly in front of her. "Isabella, sister, _please_, let me help you," he whispered, and she took his hand, squeezing tightly and closing her eyes as she murmured, "Volterra," in a small, strained voice.

Jasper was alarmed. There were a million things that could have gone wrong in the vampire city since they had left, each one worst than the last, but nothing could have prepared him for the image that was forced roughly into his mind a few moments later.

He watched as Alice and Edward joined hands in the great ballroom, faces fierce as they stood between Caius, Marcus, and the thrones. He watched Caius' irritated face, the unwavering ferocity in the eyes of his brother, his mate, felt his heart sink as the two took the thrones, Felix smiling in encouragement from the side.

"No," he whispered, "No, that wasn't supposed to _happen_…" He clutched Bella closer to him, praying in his mind that she was wrong somehow, that there had been a mistake. But Bella only offered a hushed, "I know," as she sat with her savior, her maker, her sibling. "It wasn't even supposed to be an _option." _

The pair sat in silence for a moment, both soldiers trying to decide how to handle this.

"The job is bigger than they think it is. They can't take an army. But we can. So we're staying on the sidelines. The sidelines of the sidelines. Because we can't go back, not with whatever's on our tail tracking us," Jasper finally announced, and Bella stood turning to face him. She was obviously overwhelmed by all of this, and he couldn't blame her. They were dealing with a mystery, a deadly one, something they'd never done before, and now on top of it all they had to stay out of sight while they ran Italy with the Cullens. Nonetheless, Bella gave a jerky nod, her voice shuddering as she agreed with her brother.

"We'll take down what they can't. We'll stop the armies, alter their thoughts, take down the danger. We can send the least lethal their way. Or I can use my shield, make us untraceable, and we can fight at their side. It'll give them a reputation, a brutal one, but it should help keep the threats down. Leading Ghosty to them is a risk, a huge one, but it's a risk we have to take. We can't let them do this alone."

The siblings stared at each other, each trying to gauge the other's reaction to this new development, and Jasper watched as Bella's eyes filled with tears, and he pulled her tighter against him, allowing her to bury her head in his shoulder, to breathe him in, to give herself some sort of assurance that things would be okay.

Jasper was surprised when Bella jerked away from him suddenly, murmuring a forlorned, "Damn it, what is _wrong_ with these people?" as she rose to her feet and trudged into the trees. Jasper was just a step behind her as she went. Whatever was coming at them, he thought, couldn't possibly be more surprising than anything else they had learned that day.

Moments later, he learned that it _could_ be.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter six! For you, my lovelies! Please enjoy it! You're all fantastic. XX.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. **

* * *

Emmett felt bad about leaving, and he knew Rose did too, but the tension in the Cullen home had simply become too much. He couldn't take it anymore, and when Rose had murmured, "Come away with me," he had been all too happy to oblige. He was worried half to death about his siblings, all of them having gone missing, and he could see something stirring between Carlisle and Esme, and honestly he didn't think he could bear to see it play out. He was so close to breaking, to shutting down, that the only option he had seen was to leave. If Rose hadn't asked to leave, he would have, without question. He needed time away from all the turmoil, needed to _forget_ for awhile.

And Paris, Rosalie had decided, was the place to do it. They had arrived only hours earlier, and had since spent the day twirling through the city, laughing together, watching the people, taking in all of the beautiful things there were to see. It was _fabulous_. Emmett never wanted the day to end. As the sun began to set and the two began to make their way toward the small cabin they had taken up residence in, he took Rosalie's hand, and she turned to smile at him, her eyes bright, no longer clouded with conflict as they had once been. Emmett leaned in to kiss her, and she smiled against his lips, giggling slightly. They had Bella to thank for this, for Rosalie's newfound peace, her happiness. Since Bella had removed Rosalie's past from her mind, the two had fallen into a state of bliss Emmett hadn't known existed. He had been so happy with her before, but now she was happy too, and they had both been uplifted by it. The lightness he felt as he looked into his angel's eyes erased all of his worries, all of his doubts about leaving home. Jasper and Bella were fine, and wherever Edward and Bella were, they could hold their own. As for Annette, he had no answers, but she was feisty, a fighter. She'd be okay. And whatever was going on between Carlisle and Esme was between _them_, and it was no problem of his. He smiled wide as her took Rosalie into his arms, twirling her gently as they began slowly to dance.

* * *

He smiled as he walked down the hall. There was a bounce in his step and a gleam in his eyes that had the vampires around him peering with curiosity, but he ignored them all. He was too pleased. Edward and Alice had taken the thrones, and Felix was so, so _incredibly_ glad. They had been so understanding, so kind, and so willing to abide by the Whitlock's laws! If he couldn't have Jasper and Bella around, Edward and Alice were the next best thing. _Oh_, they'd saved him from _so_ many arguments with Marcus and Caius! The two would never have ruled justly, whether they had been best friends with the Whitlocks or not. Well, Marcus would have tried, but Caius would have made that a bit impossible.

The bad news Felix had had to tell remained unshared, but he wasn't sure it would be necessary now. Bella would know. She'd check in, he was sure, she'd figure it out. This was the first time Felix had felt _happy_ since Bella and Jasper had gone away. He was loving life. Edward and Alice were good people. He liked them, and he felt bad for having been part of the Guard that had once threatened his family so often. Though Carlisle Cullen was a smart man- he'd found a way out of trouble every time they had come down on him, and honestly, Felix was impressed. He'd always had a soft spot for the man.

But things were going swimmingly in the Major's Manor, and Felix was pleased as pie.

Edward, however, was not, and he was not alone in his feelings. Alice had told him of the split in the family, how everyone had up and disappeared, even Esme, and he was distraught by the news. The Cullen coven, which had been his home, his rock, for so very long, had cracked, fractured, shattered into pieces. Precisely nine of them. And to top it off, Bella and Jasper were still missing, and he had been reviewing laws with Alice for days. The stress was immense, and they hadn't even gone on a single mission yet. He felt terrible for having left the Whitlocks when he had. He knew he would feel much, much better with his mate around. Particularly because as soon as she and her brother returned, he and Alice were stepping down. They didn't want this job, and honestly, they weren't the most prepared to _do_ it. Luckily, Felix hadn't informed him of any disturbances to be taken care of so far, which truly surprised him, as it had been nearly three weeks since he and Alice had taken over. Bella and Jasper had been in and out daily when they'd taken the thrones, switching between creating laws and killing law breakers so quickly Edward hadn't understood how they had done it. It had impressed him, and he was proud of his mate. And he was proud of her still. He knew she wouldn't have left if it wasn't necessary. Bella and Jasper committed themselves to things. They didn't take things halfway. But more than proud, he was worried. Something was wrong, it had to be. Bella would never have gone otherwise, and the impending danger she seemed to have permanently immersed herself in scared Edward. He longed for her presence, to hold her in his arms, to kiss her lips, to touch her hair. Instead, he reached down and ran a hand over the bracelet he still wore. He smiled a bit, recalling the day Bella had given it to him. It was one of the best of his life. Sometimes he would catch Alice doing the same, rubbing the pink bracelet around her wrist, and Edward knew she missed the Whitlocks just as much as he did.

But Alice was strong, and she was taking all of this very well. Any bad news seemed to make her more determined to do something right, something _good_, and she had taken the castle by storm, asserting both herself and Edward as forces to be reckoned with. Edward smiled as he thought of his sister. He new he could never do this without her.

As he thought of her, she appeared, and he laughed a bit to himself.

"Hey," she muttered, standing before him, and he muttered a "hey" of his own before she launched into a list of things they had to do that day.

"Well, we're almost done reviewing the laws, Amen, so we should finish that up today. And after we do that, Caius is going to flip and we'll have a huge argument about power and fairness and whatnot. That'll be fun. You've got some creative lines up your sleeve for that one," she smiled, her golden eyes meeting Edward's. The casual way she reported this made him smile, despite the dread he felt at dealing with Caius, who was proving to be nothing but trouble.

"Can't we just kill him? Bella and Jasper would. Hell, Bella already demolished Demetri. I'm not necessarily open to killing people, but goodness, I'd make a pleasurable exception for Caius."

Alice's lips twitched at the statement, and she swatted him on the chest, giggling, before she muttered, "Maybe. But it might piss off Minor, ya know? I've heard they're pretty close. Jasper's better friends with Marcus."

Edward groaned at the small girl's words. He knew she was right. He was also mildly amused with her use of the endearment "Minor." As far as he knew, Jasper was the only one who called Bella "Minor," and she called him Major in return. Alice, however, had begun calling Bella "Minor" shortly after the pink bracelet had appeared on her wrist, and Edward had heard his love call Alice "Lieutenant" more than once. He wondered what had happened to bring about the change. He supposed it didn't really matter.

"All right," he sighed, "Let's get to it. The sooner the better. Caius can't wait _forever_, you know." Alice laughed as she hooked her arm through his, and as they began to walk through the castle, she muttered, "Oh, but he _can." _

Edward smiled as they went. This wasn't _all_ bad, he thought, at least, not yet.

* * *

Annette approached the door of the large house in Colorado hesitantly. What would the family say? She had been gone for so long, and honestly she didn't have an explanation. She wasn't really sure what had happened. Would they be angry with her? She hoped to Heaven the answer was no. She took a deep breath and knocked at the door, but Carlisle had opened it before her fist hit the door. He pulled her into a tight hug, burying his face in her chestnut hair. Annette stiffened in surprise, and then melted into his embrace, pleased that he hadn't turned her away. He pulled back from her, his face filling with a soft surprise as he ran a gentle hand beneath her scarlet eyes. She bowed her head, ashamed of the red color, but he drew her head back up, placing a hand under her chin and tilting her head gently back towards himself.

"It's okay," he murmured, "It's absolutely okay."

Relief rushed through the small girl like a tsunami, and she looked up at her adoptive father inquisitively. The family was missing, she noted, and they had been gone for awhile. Their scents in the house had all gone stale.

Carlisle sighed as he pulled her into the house, shutting the door quietly behind him, and led her into the living room, where they both took a seat on the couch. He had some explaining to do.

But he could do it. Because for now, he wasn't alone.

* * *

They rushed through the woods, miles and miles and miles, running as fast as they could. When they were finally at their destination, they descended on the vampires there like moths on old scarves.

The attack was vicious. The vampires were good fighters, well trained, and gave Jasper and Bella a run for their money. Bella went up against a brawny man, who was well muscled, and quicker than one might have expected. He tore at her arm, scratched at her face, bit at her shoulders. His kicks were heavy, frequent, and well placed. But Bella's were better, and she quickly knocked him to the ground, where she took hold of his arms and pulled roughly until they detached from his body. She moved next to his legs, detaching them quickly. She pulled him apart piece by piece, and then she threw them toward Jasper, who was more unencumbered than she was. There were about five of them left, and they descended on Jasper and Bella, who fought valiantly against them. And then Bella saw her, the very person they were trying to protect. There was a man over top of her, and she was doing her best to fight him away, but the opposing vampire was stronger than she was, and he nipped at her throat despite all her efforts. Bella shoved the vampire who was currently attacking the soldier away from her, and made her way stealthily toward the woman, alerting Jasper with a desperate scream of his name. He met her gaze, saw her intended path, viewed the woman struggling in vain, and snarled ferally, his eyes blazing as he helped Bella clear her path, the two of them tearing their opponents apart as they went. Someone sunk their teeth into Bella's shoulder, and she growled before she used her shield to crush them. Jasper took a bite to the arm, to his shoulder, suffered a few deep gashes. Bella suffered the same, with scratches lining her face and crescent wounds lining her arms, her legs, her torso. Their clothes were ruined but neither cared as they ravaged their way toward the struggling woman. Just as the Whitlocks reached her, a vampire, the last of two, launched himself towards Jasper. The two rolled away as Jasper began to end the vampire's existence. He didn't care who this man was, he wanted him dead. He wanted to feel his fear, his pain, his regret, as Jasper savagely tore him apart. He began to peel the man's skin away, and the feelings of fear began to seep out of him and into Jasper, who smiled cruelly, and peeled only slower, drawing out the agony. The feelings of his victims had once disturbed him, depressed him even. But now, knowing the feelings were well warranted and undoubtedly deserved, he basked in them. It felt good to know that the last thing these criminals would ever feel were the very emotions they had so often caused in others. It pleased him, rather than depressed him, and he knew Bella felt the same. His sister, at that moment, was rushing to the side of the helpless vampire they had come to protect. She fell upon the woman's attacker viciously, tearing him away from his intended victim, and consequently out of his life. Dropping the dead vampire to the ground, Bella pulled a lighter from her pocket, thanking the Lord that it hadn't been torn away from her during the tumultuous fight. She glanced up at Jasper who was doing the same, momentarily disregarding the gasping woman who lay on the ground. Quickly the two set the remains alight, creating a large pire to desecrate the opposing vampires. When they had finished, the Whitlocks stalked quickly toward the girl on the ground. They leaned over her in concern, taking in her wide eyes, and her lack of serious injuries. Bella's eyes were teary and her breath was shallow as she murmured,

"Esme, _what the hell?"_


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's number 7! I hope all of you are doing well! It's been rather frigid thanks to the "polar vortex." Stay safe, and as always thank you for taking the time to read this story and respond so very kindly. You're all the most fantastic people in the world! Happy Thursday! Xx.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. **

* * *

"_Esme_," Bella insisted, and Jasper sent waves of calm to both his sister and his mother. Bella was about to have a meltdown, and he shot her a concerned look before placing a hand on her shoulder and taking control of the situation.

He stared down at Esme for a few moments longer, bewilderment in his eyes. Why was she here? What was she doing so far from home? And without Carlisle? What was going on? He pressed a gentle hand to the side of her face, pouring affection and security into her small frame, and he watched as the shocked, glassy look left her eyes, only to be replaced by watery tears as venom pooled there instead. Jasper sighed internally. Everyone seemed to be crying lately, and if the erratic feelings spiking out of Bella were anything to go by, there were more tears to come. He shook himself out of his thoughts and redirected his attention back to his mother.

"Mom," he whispered, "Mom, it's okay. We've got you. You're safe with us, everything is alright now." He didn't miss the withering look his sister shot him, or the way she flinched when he called Esme "mom." It wouldn't have bothered her so much if Esme hadn't been a wonderful woman. The term "mother" was a type of profanity to Bella, whose own mother had mistreated her so terribly.

_"Kisses! Mommy,"_ rang through Bella's mind like a curse, and the brunette shuddered fiercely at the thought of the inscription written on the last page of the only gift she had ever received before her life with Jasper. Even after all these years, the dreadfully casual note in the back of the photo album caused a sharp pain in her chest; some part of her still feared the words would come true. _Not possible,_ Bella thought, shaking the words away, but her emotions decreased in stability, and Jasper knew he had to calm her down soon, or all her emotions would explode.

"Sorry," he murmured, turning his head slightly as he registered the stab of pain she felt, and she shook her head as she paced through the trees, muttering, "You shouldn't have to be," before turning quickly away from him, allowing him to focus on Esme.

Esme was relieved (and confused, when she heard Bella's stiff comment from where she sat). When Jasper met her eyes this time, she sat up quickly from where she laid on the ground, throwing her arms around the blonde's neck and hugging him tightly to her.

"You're alright!" she gasped, "You're _here_, I _found_ you! You found _me, _oh, thank _Heavens_, I was so _scared_, but then _you_ showed up and I've missed you _so much,_ we've all missed you so much…" Her voice trailed off in a whisper, and she looked down briefly at her lap. When she looked back up, her face was filled with regret, and quietly, she stated, "I'm sorry. That we left, I mean. I- Carlisle talked us- talked _me_- into it." She shook her head and gave a short, bitter laugh, "Goodness knows why I still listen to Carlisle. It never ends well these days."She shook her head again. "Either way, we shouldn't have gone. And I apologize. I only hope you can forgive us for going when you needed us most. I regret it. We _all_ regret it, we truly do." She gave her bitter laugh again, and Jasper and Bella both took her in with concern. She was unhappy, jaded even, and neither Whitlock liked to see the maternal woman this way, not when she was always so joyous, so thrilled to be alive. They couldn't do anything more than listen as Esme strained, "Except Carlisle. Of _course_. He's himself again, happy as ever. No one could stand it. We all split up. Rose and Emmett are in Europe somewhere. Edward and Alice up and left a couple of months ago. Annette is- she's _missing_, and Carlisle doesn't- he doesn't _care_. So I left too. I didn't even say goodbye. I just stood up and walked out the door while he was at work. I don't know what happened to us, but- I don't _know_. Nothing's the same."

Jasper and Bella were slightly taken aback by the speech, at a loss for a way to respond. Jasper watched as his sister moved towards the place where he still held Esme in his arms. Kneeling before Esme, Bella soothed, "First things first, there is nothing to forgive. We can't blame you for leaving us when all we ever seem to do is leave you. No hard feelings, Esme. We promise."

Esme opened her mouth to protest, but Jasper spoke first.

"No, Mom, she's right. There's truly nothing to forgive. And we're sorry about Carlisle. We caused this really. We never meant to tear the family apart, God, we just- we'd been alone for so long, and I missed Alice, and now it seems we've caused more trouble than anything else. So _we're _sorry. Because this is _all_ on us."

"No!" Esme blurted, preparing to heartily disagree with her son, but Jasper silenced her with a small smile and a shake of his head. She wasn't going to change his opinion. Or Bella's for that matter, who was looking at the ground rather forlornly as her brother spoke. Esme noticed the way she flinched again when Jasper called her "mom." It was strange. Maybe she would ask about it later.

"Who's Annette?" Bella asked suddenly, and Jasper knew she could have asked herself the question, and probably had, but wanted to get a feel for Esme's emotions towards whoever this Annette was. The name sounded familiar.

"She's just a girl, really. Fourteen at most. Rosalie found her in the woods- a vampire- alone and scared. We took her in and she's a lovely girl, but- she's disappeared. She went hunting and never came back. We followed her trail halfway across the country. It just…stopped. Like yours does sometimes, except it's obvious that she isn't with you."

The Whitlocks exchanged concerned glances, and Bella's emotions began to deteriorate again, well aware that the only explanation was their new Enemy Number One.

"Were you looking for her just now?" Bella wondered quietly, doing her best to compose herself enough to ask the question. She didn't know why she was struggling this way. She was good at repressing things. What were all her insecurities doing swimming to the surface _now? _She forgot about it momentarily as Esme met her gaze with surprise, murmuring,

"Why, no. I was looking for you."

There was a perplexed silence for a moment before the Whitlocks both spluttered the same question: "What? _Why?"_

Esme became slightly indignant as she defended her choice to come looking, her eyes narrowing a bit as she huffed, "Well, it's not like things were going particularly well back home, and if I couldn't be there then I'd rather be here. I'd rather be fighting wars against strangers than fighting wars against my family- or what's _left_ of it. And now that I've found you, you won't be getting rid of me. I'll just search for you again if you disappear, and look how well that went last time."

There was a pause.

"…You want to live with us…_like_ us?" The small question came from Jasper, who couldn't imagine Esme on a battle field, tearing lives from existence. He couldn't imagine someone _choosing_ to live the way he and Bella lived. If he was being completely honest, he didn't know how he and Bella had really come to live this way. It was simply how their lives had progressed, not really a choice either had made. But Esme, small, kind, loving _Esme_, wanted to be…made _feral_. Turned into a hard shell of the woman she once was. Who could truly _want_ that?

Esme nodded her head, her eyes blazing with sincerity as her caramel curls bounced. Bella made an attempt to change her mind, to explain to her what the cost of this life was: everything.

"If you live this way, Esme, it'll change you. You won't- you'll never be the way you are now. You'll go hard, put walls up, become less kind, less _human_. We can't guarantee you much time with your family, with Edward and Alice, Emmett and Rose, not to mention _Carlisle._ We're always leaving, Esme, and if you choose to join us, really _choose_ to do this, you'll always be leaving too. So before you make this commitment, make sure you are certain. This is not an easy life, or a necessarily good one, but the one you have now- well, that_ is._ Don't throw it away for_ us._ If you're going to change your life this way…you have to be certain you're doing it for _you."_

The three sat in silence for awhile as Esme looked back and forth between her two children, studying them carefully. They were excellent people, from the inside out. She didn't care how she would change, or even if she would change. If she changed and became like them, she wouldn't mind. Jasper and Bella were heroes, the closest things to angels this earth had. Being like them wouldn't be such a bad thing. And honestly, she was ready for a change in lifestyle. So, she was going to do this. She didn't care what it took.

"I'm doing this. I didn't search half the world for you to simply go home. Home isn't home anymore. _This_ is home now. So get used to it."

* * *

They spent weeks after that just training Esme, teaching her to hold her own, to overcome any and all attackers she may face in the future. But it was strange. The harmonious relationship Jasper and Bella had established in battle had yet to develop between themselves and Esme, though they figured it wouldn't until they actually began to _fight_. Still, neither had ever imagined that _Esme_ of all people would leave everything behind to help keep the peace between vampires and vampires, as well as between vampires and humans. Sometimes even humans and humans, when a particularly misguided politician popped up. But so far, Esme was doing well. She would make a good addition to their little team. As such, things were going relatively okay!

Except for Bella. Jasper was fiercely concerned about her. She was spiraling into a pool of anxiety, guilt, and fear, and he had no idea why. He knew she needed to let it out, but with Esme here, she was far more likely to hold all of her conflicting emotions within. She wouldn't want Esme to see her break down, to see how fractured she really was, but she would have to let it out sometime. Sooner or later, Esme would learn anyhow, but Jasper knew Bella didn't want it to be right then, when Esme's motherly mentality was still going strong. Bella didn't need to be mothered, she needed to be understood, something only Jasper had been able to provide. Even Rosalie had pitied Bella, and pity was not what Bella wanted.

But whatever she wanted, it would have to wait. Bigger things were coming their way.


	8. Chapter 8

**Here's Chapter 8! Two in one day! Hope you like it! Xx.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. **

* * *

Alice let out a soft sigh as she and Edward sorted through all of the laws that had been scrapped or rewritten or created. Bella hadn't been kidding when she said Aro had been an idiot. But the hardest part was that the job was _incredibly_ boring. At least, until they finally reached the neat stack of papers Bella and Jasper had scripted just before they left. It was a comfort to look down on their familiar script, to see proof that they still existed, physical proof, laid down before them. Or at least, proof that they had continued to exist after the Cullens left.

They were about halfway through the stack of what they had deemed "the only pile of anything in this castle that is of actual importance" when Edward pushed his chair back and placed his head in his hands, taking in a long, shaky breath. Alice gently placed the paper she was reading on the table before her and laid a kind hand on her brother's shoulder.

She didn't ask questions, just waited patiently until Edward raised his head from his hands and met her eyes, murmuring, "What the hell are we doing? We don't- Look at this, the laws they've made, the order they've established- how are we supposed to keep this up? Jasper and Bella, Alice, they're _brilliant, _they were _made_ for this. But us…" he looked down again in despair. He and Alice had no _idea_ how to do this, not without the Whitlocks, and the overwhelming responsibility seemed to be crushing him. These laws, they would take so much _power_ to enforce. And that was something Edward and Alice didn't have.

Alice watched as Edward began to rub at the bracelet on his wrist. Honestly, she didn't know what to say. He was absolutely right. But she tried to reassure him anyways.

"We'll be okay Edward, we'll-"

_We'll help you. _

The vision flashed through Alice's mind quickly, interrupting whatever halfhearted sentiment she had been about to say to her brother.

Both of them locked eyes as they watched the vision: Bella and Jasper, standing together, hands linked, shoulders back, eyes burning with determination and sincerity.

_You're not alone in this, _Bella continued, _We may not be next to you, but we're with you. _

_We'd never let you do this alone, _Jasper stated, smiling a bit, _Not when it's our job to do in the first place. _

Bella held up a piece of paper then, and while neither could make out the words there, it was quickly explained.

_We're sending Em and Rose your way. They can help. I _know _it. _Bella gave a small smile as she referenced her gift, and Jasper took on a grin of his own.

_Do give them my love, _Esme chimed, bouncing into frame behind the Whitlocks. Edward and Alice were startled to see her. Why was she there? _I hope everything is going well for you all! _

Bella laughed as Esme rested her head on her hands, balancing her arms on Bella and Jasper's shoulders.

_She's with us now, _Jasper explained, _She tracked us down somehow and refused to leave. So we're _stuck_ with her. _

Esme laughed lightly at the comment, purely meant to tease her, and looked straight into the eyes of Edward and Alice, just as Bella and Jasper were doing from goodness knows where.

_Stuck, schmuck, they love me, _she giggled. She opened her mouth to say something else, but there was a strange rustling in the trees that seemed to be growing louder by the moment. All three turned to glance warily behind them before looking back towards Edward and Alice again.

_That's our cue to go, _Jasper muttered, and the two Cullens watched as the three steeled themselves to flee.

_We'll be in touch, _Bella said, glancing behind her again and bouncing lightly on her feet. She seemed agitated, scared, even._ We love you, _the three said together, _Stay safe. _

They began to move through the woods, quickly, urgently. As they turned their backs to the Cullens, Bella paused, calling a final farewell.

_Keep us secret, _she said.

And then they were gone, the vision vanished, and Edward and Alice were pulled back to the present.

Just as Alice made to speak, one last flicker of Bella's face passed through her mind.

_And Edward, _she murmured, _The next time I see you, I'd like my ring back, thanks._

Edward's lips twitched in a smile and Alice released a stunned giggle.

"Damn, they've got good timing," the fairy like girl stated, and Edward too released a short laugh.

"No kidding," he murmured, "I told you, they're _brilliant." _

_"_I never said they weren't!" Alice countered, her mood having lifted significantly in just those few moments. It was such a _relief_ to hear from them, such a wonderful _surprise! _

_"_And how about Esme? How did she find them?"

"I only wish I knew."

The two sat in a comfortable, relieved silence as they thought over the vision.

Finally, Edward stood and offered Alice his hand.

"Let's take a break," he suggested, the relief coursing through him making him feel light like air. Briefly, he wished he could fly. Alice took his hand and stood, and together the two walked down the hallways of the ornate palace and out into the city. They were taking the night off.

Still, as the pair walked through Volterra's streets, neither could shake the worried feeling that festered in the backs of their minds. Because the Whitlocks had been afraid, that much was clear, and that left the Cullens feeling that there was something _terrible_ to fear.

* * *

Esme looked down at her new outfit. She wore a pair of tight black jeans, a pair of buff colored boots, a light brown leather jacket to match, and a dark blue t-shirt beneath the jacket. It was very similar to the outfits Bella and Jasper always wore. The pair were never spotted without their jackets or a good pair of boots. They were constantly ready for an attack, and now that she was with them, she had to be too. She'd participated in a couple of battles at their side already, and they had been impressed by her fiery determination. She fought well. She had a couple of scars here and there, but she didn't mind. Jasper and Bella hadn't come away clean either, and she figured the scars were part of the job description. If she was being honest, she was proud of them. The scars showed she'd fought for something, and her lasting life showed that she'd _won. _

As months passed by, she felt herself falling out of the motherly role she had once pertained and into a friendly role, and then an almost sibling like role to the two Whitlocks. She was surprised to find that she _liked_ living this way. And Bella and Jasper liked having her around. She had helped to diffuse Bella's inner turmoil without meddling into her past, had allowed Jasper to worry a little less about his sister, had become a Whitlock in every sense of the term. But now it was official.

"I have a present for you!" Bella had called earlier that day, just before they'd gone shopping. Esme had been confused. The three of them hadn't been anywhere near civilization in several weeks. How had Bella gotten her a present?

"A present?" she had murmured in confusion, eyes wide and head tilted to the side. Jasper smiled from Bella's side as the two approached her. They had been hunting, but apparently Esme had missed something. It was obvious that Jasper knew about this.

"For you," Jasper said, "Bella made it herself."

Esme's eyes widened and affection flowed through her at the gesture, even before the gift had been presented. Bella stood before her with a hand behind her back, hiding whatever it was that was in her hand.

"You ready?" Bella smiled, and Esme muttered, "Yes, of course!"

Excitedly, Bella produced a woven bracelet from behind her back, holding it out for Esme with a bright smile.

It was beautiful- so pretty Esme didn't even want to touch it for fear she would ruin it somehow.

"Take it!" Bella laughed, "Every Whitlock has one!"

And it was true. Every Whitlock did. She and Jasper wore them, and their mates wore them too. Now it was Esme's turn to wear one. She was a soldier too.

The newest addition to their small family looked at Bella with happy tears in her eyes. Slowly she reached out and took the bracelet, turning it in her hands to admire every side.

She looked up suddenly when she recognized one of the materials.

"Is this-"

"Part of the shirt you were wearing the first day you arrived," Jasper confirmed with a grin, "She made me steal it for her. Sorry about that."

"No, no, I love it!" she cried, delicately slipping the bracelet of blue,green, and silver onto her wrist.

"It's not just your shirt," Bella added, "It's also the shirt of the vampire we dragged away from you, and quite possibly part of the jacket of the first vampire you ever offed."

"By 'quite possibly' she means 'most definitely,'" Jasper laughed, and Esme flung herself towards the pair, smiling so wide she felt her face would split.

_"Thank you so much," _she said, clinging tightly to the vampires who had been a better family to her than the entire Cullen coven ever had. Not that she didn't love the other Cullens…it was just…_better_ here. She could see why Jasper had taken so long to return to them the first time.

"I actually- I've got something for you too," she stated hesitantly. She was unsure as to how the gifts would be received.

She smiled awkwardly as she pulled something from her boot, and then her pocket.

"I've had these since I arrived with you, I just- didn't know when to give them. Or even if you'd want them. You may not, actually, but they're yours, and you should have them. Every Cullen has one," she murmured, lips quirking as she repeated Bella's sentiment. She held the objects out in her hands, one towards Jasper and the other towards Bella. One was a wristband, the other a necklace.

Jasper and Bella looked up at her in surprise.

"But Carlisle said-"

Esme shook her head.

"Carlisle stopped leading that coven years ago. It's mine now. Ours. And these are yours."

Bella reached for hers first, taking the delicate choker and inspecting it closely. It was the Cullen crest that everyone else wore. It was like a cameo, white on black, and the chain was simple, though strong, and unlikely to be damaged in battle. Bella looked up towards Esme in disbelief. The necklace was beautiful, custom made, one of the nicest gifts Bella had ever received.

"You're sure?" Bella whispered. She had accepted that she would never be a proper Cullen a few weeks after she had first met the cold doctor, but here was his wife, telling her it wasn't true.

"Positive," Esme murmured, still holding the wristband out to Jasper. Bella put the necklace on gently, thrilled with the gift, with Esme's kindness.

Jasper however, was still staring at the gift being offered to him, seemingly unable to comprehend what was happening. Carlisle had snapped his from his arm long ago during an argument that had severed any and all familial relations between the two, and Jasper never thought he'd wear another, not when his once father now hated him so truly.

He looked up at Esme, meeting her eyes as he mumbled, "Is that- it's…it's his. Carlisle's. That's his wristband-"

"No," Esme insisted, "It's yours. I removed this from him years and years back, when I kicked him out. He came home after Italy, but I never gave it back. He's half the Cullen you are Jasper. Please take it. He should never have taken yours."

Jasper was drowning in his own emotions at that point, so confused, though strangely happy, and it was all he could do not to flee from his spot. How could he accept this? How could he take it when Carlisle hated him?

Seeing the conflict in his eyes, Esme moved forward and gently snapped the leather band around his wrist, just below the bracelet Bella had woven for him.

She lifted a hand to Jasper's face, murmuring, "I'm sorry, Jasper, for what he has done to you. Please know you are loved by us all, and that no matter what Carlisle says to either of you, you will _always_ be a part of our family."

Now it was Jasper's turn to throw himself forward, wrapping his arms around the woman he had called a mother for so long, the woman who had given up her everything to travel with them, the woman who had reinvented herself when her husband had deteriorated into an icy coldness that no one else could understand.

He sent an explosive wave of love and gratitude towards Esme, and she smiled softly running her hands through her son's hair. She may not have been his mother all the time, but he needed her to be now, and she'd fill the role whenever it was called for.

Bella was just as stunned to have received the Cullen crest, and she now sat on the ground, her hand in the hollow of her neck, where the charm fell. She looked blissfully happy. She _really_ had a family, _really_, _really_, had one!

She watched as Esme and Jasper had their moment, but when Esme briefly met her eyes, Bella forced all of her happy thoughts into the older vampire's mind. When Jasper finally released the leader of the Cullen coven, he held out a hand to Bella and linked his hand with Esme's.

In that moment, he knew he had everything he'd ever need.

* * *

This was a setback. A rather large one.

Esme was never supposed to join up with the Whitlocks. They were never supposed to know about Annette or that the family had split up.

She was a strong shield, but she couldn't remove the knowledge from their minds the way Bella could.

_Dammit._

How the hell was she supposed to know that Esme was the one who could potentially ruin her? She'd always seemed like the weakest link!

And so Esme had to die.

_Soon. _


	9. Chapter 9

**Last one for tonight! Chapter 9! Xx.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. **

* * *

Annette sat by Carlisle's side, listening intently as he explained the downward spiral the family had fallen into after she had left. Well, before she had left, really. Edward and Alice had been the first to go. Even _Esme_ had gone, his own _wife! _What had he done so horribly _wrong? _

His last daughter felt sorry for him. She didn't know how the family could have abandoned him that way, not when he had always been so kind, so compassionate. Annette had never seen him express anything but love for anyone in the coven, and she was perplexed now, at their sudden desire to leave the generous doctor behind. She wouldn't be doing the same.

"This is all my fault," he sighed, running a hand through his messy hair.

Annette placed a hand on his shoulder, and with a small smile of reassurance, she muttered,

"No, Carlisle. You aren't at fault. Family doesn't leave family behind."

Carlisle gave a sharp laugh at the statement, meeting Annette's red eyes with bitter irony in his own.

"I know," he muttered, "That was my mistake."

* * *

After he had talked everything over with Annette, he excused himself to his bedroom, where he laid on the bed he had once shared with Esme. He heard Annette exit the house to sit in the garden, and sighed. Esme had loved the garden…At one point she had even loved him. Had he ruined things? He didn't know. For now, certainly, but permanently? He had no way of finding out. All he could do was hope the family came back. Or maybe they would rather gather without him, uphold the coven, just…without him in it. One of his hands moved to the bare spot that had once held his Cullen crest. He missed it. Missed_ them. _He even sort of missed Jasper and Bella. He didn't trust them, but he couldn't deny that they completed his family. They had done so much for everyone, even himself. He recalled the way they had kicked down the doors in Volterra to save him, how ungrateful he had been. He regretted it now.

When- _if_- they returned, he promised he'd try to accept them, to love them the way the rest of the family did. Maybe they could learn to love him too. They had once, and he'd let them down. And now that everything he'd ever had was gone, he wondered how he could have been so ridiculously _awful_ to the pair.

He supposed it didn't matter now. It wouldn't until the family found him again, or until he found the family.

At least Annette was home.

* * *

Forty vampires were headed Edward and Alice's way, and the Whitlocks- all three of them- intended to beat the pair to it. They left hours earlier than they knew the Cullens would, intercepted the small army, tore half of it apart. It had been hard work, and it felt good.

Bella had enjoyed the fight. Any bottled up emotions she had were released in battle, and when she came out of it, she felt lighter somehow. Jasper too, enjoyed the thrill of the fight. The two laughed together as they tossed the vampires back and forth, singling out the weak ones and killing the stronger ones. Every so often, they'd toss one to Esme, who would swiftly dismember them, and toss them into the pile of dead vampires they were creating to burn. At first, Esme had been reluctant to kill, but when Bella had begun to push the thoughts of the cruel vampires into Esme's mind, anger ignited in the woman, and she had been just as willing to kill them as Bella and Jasper had.

"We told you, we only kill the ones who've gotta _go_," Bella had smiled, and Esme had smiled back at her as she roughly tore the head off of a man who had killed a family of four in a small town a few hours away. He hadn't fed from them, which was impressive, because there had been a lot of blood. He had killed them for fun. And Esme tore him apart slowly. She only regretted that he couldn't bleed the way his victims had.

By the time they were done, they had picked about ten vampires to send Edward and Alice's way. Most of them were weak and wouldn't last more than a few seconds in a fight, but there were a couple good fighters Bella and Jasper had thrown in just for fun. They wouldn't hurt Edward or Alice, but they'd be more entertaining than the others.

Bella moved toward each vampire, placing a hand roughly against their face, removed all thoughts of the event, sent them towards her loved ones.

When all of the vampires had gone on their way, Bella sat on the ground across from the pile Esme and Jasper had created. They wouldn't be burning the pile, just watching over it until Edward and Alice were close enough that they could take off without any of the vampires reassembling themselves.

Jasper looked at her in concern. He knew she was going to press a message into Edward's mind, and he knew it was going to hurt. Bella had good control over her power, but long distance transfers had always been uncomfortable, to say the least. He moved to sit with his back against hers, and she closed her eyes, leaning back against him. Esme sat against them, her back pressed to their sides. Bella was thankful for the comfort. She hated this shit. She wanted to send Alice another vision, but Enemy Number One was getting closer and closer each day. They couldn't risk giving up Edward and Alice's location. Too dangerous. For everyone.

Bella took Jasper's hand as she pooled all of her energy into her mind. She felt Jasper flooding her with whatever energy he could supply, and she was immensely thankful. Creating the message was the easy part. Sending it- not so much.

Jasper felt Bella tense, felt her emotions shift. It happened quickly, so much so that he nearly missed it, but the sharp stab of pain Bella felt was strong, and he flinched as she let out a gasp of discomfort. He tried to ease the feeling away from her, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

He thought she was done, but she hadn't even started yet. She tensed again and the strain returned, something Jasper imagined must feel like being stabbed in the temples multiple times.

The pain built as the message she passed along lengthened. Bella grew so tense Jasper feared she'd begin to come apart, but he was more alarmed when she tore her hand from his, bringing both of her hands up to cover her head, as she released a whimper.

Jasper wished there was another way to help her, and he sighed to himself when he realized there was. It seemed they'd both be using parts of their powers they didn't really enjoy. Jasper tried to prepare himself, to steel himself for whatever he was about to feel, but it wasn't enough. Esme turned in alarm as Jasper dug his hands into the ground, looking for something, _anything_, to hold onto, to use as a stress reliever until whatever the hell was happening _stopped_ happening. He absorbed her feelings, as much of them as he could, hoping to give his sister some sort of relief from the evidently excruciating pain in her head. It worked to an extent. Bella still felt a stinging sensation, but her hands dropped to her sides and her eyes opened as she sent the last of her message into Edward's mind. When she was finished she gasped sharply, going limp against Jasper, who moaned as the pain ebbed from his body. But it wasn't gone.

"Oh, damn," Bella muttered before Jasper threw out a staggering wave of what felt to Esme like the definition of "agony."

"Sorry, sorry," Jasper panted, "Had to get rid of it. Shit, Bells, why didn't you say something?"

Bella was equally winded, and her response came in gasps as she rubbed at her scalp.

"Didn't know…Not usually that bad…Must be…_really_ far away…"

"Closer next time," Jasper huffed, and Bella shook her head loosely. Esme thought it might fall from her shoulders.

"Too risky- can't- _God_, can't do that-"

Simultaneously, the two slumped sideways and away from Esme, rolling onto their backs on the ground.

Esme cast a quick glance to the side, checking to make sure none of the vampires had reassembled and quickly moving to scatter a few pieces that looked like they were trying to reattach themselves before moving to hover over Jasper and Bella.

"Major?" Bella asked quietly, hesitantly.

"Minor," he replied, and Bella smiled a little despite her exhaustion. She needed a hunt.

"Forgot part," she murmured.

Jasper didn't respond, just moaned again as he closed his eyes and opened himself to Bella's feelings.

"Sorry, sorry," she muttered, repeating Jasper's words, and a small spark of humor flickered through them both before Bella lost herself in her mind again and the pain began to build within the siblings.

Esme couldn't bear to see them this way, sprawled on the ground writhing in self-afflicted agony. She didn't really think it through before she bent to Jasper and murmured, "Send it my way, Jasper, I can-" Her sentence was cut short as the stabbing, pricking sensation burst from Jasper and into the newest soldier, who quickly collapsed beside them.

It was over much sooner this time, and Esme only had to bear the pain for a couple of seconds before Jasper released a final burst and gasped again.

"No- no more of that," Esme stuttered, "Jasper's right. Closer next time."

This time, Bella nodded. She loved Edward and Alice, but there was no way in hell she was doing that again.

As the three laid on the ground, a quiet rumble began to build in the trees.

"You've got to be kidding," Bella said, sitting up carefully. Jasper and Esme staggered to their feet beside her. Now was _not_ the time.

* * *

She smiled as she watched the three soldiers lay breathless in the clearing. She supposed it was now or never.

Quickly, she moved in on them, laughing to herself as the group struggled to stand.

She'd leave the pile of bodies be. They meant little to her, but the Whitlocks and that freakish little _Esme?_ Well, in Bella's terms, they had to _go_.

The three took off into the trees, but she wrapped her shield around them, pressing in on them from all sides. As her shield began to close in around Bella's the Whitlocks ebbed alarm.

She had them now, and they were _going_ to die. Not immediately, but she figured Edward and Alice could watch. After all, Bella had sent them directions, hadn't she?

Bella's shields were shrinking rapidly, being pushed toward her until they were nearly nonexistent. So this was _happening_, it had finally come to this! _Joy. _

Another inch and she'd have had them. Her only mistake was a pause, such a _small_ pause, as she watched Bella's eyes flash a brilliant scarlet the likes of which she'd never seen. And then Bella's shields exploded outwards again, shattering hers like pieces of glass and throwing her backwards with such force that part of her face cracked. She had them up again, albeit thinly, in a matter of seconds, but that second had been enough. Jasper had _seen_ her. Better than that (well, worse for her), he had _recognized_ her. His lips pulled back in a furious snarl as he took in her delicate features. It was a face he thought he'd never see again, one he thought Maria had killed off long ago, far before _he_ killed _Maria_. And now, as Jasper began to stalk forward, it was her turn to flee. She may have wanted the Whitlocks dead, but _she_ didn't want to die in the process.

* * *

That face. He _knew_ it. He'd never, _ever_ forget it. How could he, when she had tortured him so _viciously_ all those years ago? She and her sisters- they were the Devil's daughters. He'd thought they were all dead, but now it didn't seem so, and as he snarled her name, he made a promise. She wasn't dead now, but _by_ _God_, she would be. And she'd die _slow_, and _painful_, just as he had wanted to, when the torture never ended in slumber. Her number was up, and as he glanced backwards at Bella, she saw the same snarl on her own face.

He didn't know it, but the two had met briefly once, and the experience hadn't gone well. Some of Bella's worst scars had come of it, and she'd never forgive the vampire for causing them. _Oh, _no. There was a history there Jasper knew nothing about, dating back to Bella's human years and causing the largest fracture of all.

But none of the past mattered now.

They needed to focus on the future.

Because Lucy, she was a dead girl.


	10. Chapter 10

**Okay, so I lied last chapter when I said I was done for the night. Although technically it's morning now- but anyways! Here it is! Chapter 10, for you! Xx.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. **

* * *

_Kisses! Mommy, Kisses! Mommy, Kisses! Mommy _rang through Bella's mind again. Only this time she wasn't afraid, she was _angry. Irate. _

Lucy. She'd helped turn and torture Jasper, had caused Bella _hell, _and now she was back in the game. But Bella and Jasper were a united force now, and there was no stopping them, _with_ or _without_ a spectacular shield.

Jasper stared at her from where he sat in the hotel room they'd rented. His feelings of anger had calmed for the moment, but Bella's were still running high. He was having a hard time understanding why she was so keyed up about Lucy. He wasn't aware Bella had ever met her, and he was sure he hadn't gone into too much detail about the time he had spent with her. Of course, he supposed she could always have delved into her mind about it, but he hadn't seen her this angry in years, not even when Riley had tried to make a reappearance.

Esme and Jasper exchanged worried glances before looking back to the brunette who sat still as a statue on the bed, her chin resting on one of her fists, her face angry, her shoulders stiff.

They'd gone on a quick hunt before they arrived, which Jasper figured would help to calm them both down, but he had been bewildered when she'd torn apart two criminals and walked away even angrier than she had been before. Her rage was building, and Jasper had_ no idea_ why.

He made to move towards her, but froze when she let out a low hiss, not bothering to look in his direction.

He leaned back in his chair and heaved a sigh. He looked to Esme again, who felt just as helpless as himself. He tried to calm her, but was met with an angry snarl as Bella snapped her head to the side, her red eyes blazing with fury as she glared at Jasper, who retracted his gift and furrowed his brow. Bella had never acted this way before, especially not towards him. He wished she'd let him help her. It was killing him to see her so upset.

Hours later, when she stood abruptly from the bed and shot out of the room, Jasper _knew_ something was wrong. _Really_ wrong.

He raced after her, leaving Esme alone in the room, but she followed quickly after.

"Bella!" he called, "Bella wait!"

The brunette whirled on him, her mahogany locks spinning into her face as she did, and offered another snarl.

"What do you _want?" _She hissed.

"To help you, sister, let me _help_ you."

"I don't _want_ your help, Jasper. Not this time." She turned away from him again and he placed a hand on her shoulder, inquiring, "Where are you _going_, Bella? _Please_, don't shut me out like this, not- not after everything we've been through."

If Jasper thought his words would soften the girl, he was wrong. She lunged at him, threw him to ground, growled, "I'm going to find my Edward. I am _done hiding._ If Lucy wants me, the bitch can_ come get me, _and I'll _murder_ her sorry ass. I'm not going back, Jasper," she hissed, "She's not dragging me back. _Not again." _

And then she was gone.

Jasper sat on the ground, stunned. They'd been together for centuries and they'd never once had an argument. And now here Bella was, his Minor, hurling him to the ground, snarling at him, eyes bright with betrayal. _But what had he done?_ Or perhaps it had nothing to do with him.

He sat on the ground, thinking back on her words, sat for hours, with Esme at his side. She leaned against him with her head on his shoulder, murmuring kind nothings into his ear, trying to remove the crestfallen look fro his face.

He thought about her words all night, all morning. He just sat in the hotel parking lot, sat and thought.

He thought of everything he knew about his sister, all of her emotions, every conversation they'd ever had, and when he could force himself to think of it, her little box of horrors.

He recalled the newspaper clippings, the crime scene photos, the albums of pictures, the note from her mother.

And then he knew.

Bella had been going crazy inside of herself as they kept undercover. Constantly running, always looking over her shoulder, she had done it all before, he realized.

She'd run from her family, from her family's friends, from the awful life they had forced upon her. And now she was running again, and she couldn't help but think of all the months she'd spent fleeing her worst nightmares. And Esme didn't know. Esme didn't know, and Bella wouldn't tell her. So she didn't share. She internalized it all.

And when she had seen Lucy, the anger, the spike of fear Jasper had felt before all of Bella's emotions had dissolved into a mass of rage…

"Jesus Christ," Jasper mumbled into his hands, leaning forward and pressing his forehead to his jeans.

_She's not dragging me back. Not again. _

_Kisses! Mommy,_ he thought, and his whole body began to shake with tremors as the reality of the situation dawned on him.

The words Renee Swan had written centuries ago had once rung true.

Bella had been found, dragged back, and Lucy had been the one to drag her there.

* * *

Edward and Alice had been on their way to stop a small militia of vampires somewhere in Brazil when he had received the message.

_We killed thirty of them, easy. Ten of them are coming your way. There's a pile of unburned bodies three miles from the spot where the rest will meet you. When you're finished there, turn south. Find the pile and destroy it. If Caius or Marcus follow up, the your scent needs to be just as stale as that of the fire. We'll watch it until you're close enough to burn it safely. Love you. Have fun._

Bella.

He closed his eyes and relished at her voice in his mind. He missed her so much.

"Edward?" Alice asked, shaking his shoulder, and the mind reader realized he'd come to halt when he'd heard Bella's voice in his head.

"It's nothing. Bella says take care of the ten coming our way and head south. There's a pile of thirty they took care of for us. She wants us to burn it. Something about our scents."

Alice nodded in understanding, and as she did, Bella spoke in Edward's mind again.

_Take the credit. _

The credit?

_Don't let anyone know it was us. _

"I promise," Edward spoke aloud, but he knew if Bella was checking in on them, she'd know.

Moments later a hushed _Keep safe, _floated through his mind and he smiled as he and Alice made their way towards the battle that awaited them.

They took care of it quickly, burning the clearing and moving to the pile the Whitlocks had left them, quickly setting it ablaze before they turned to head into civilization.

So far, the job had been surprisingly easy, but Edward figured Jasper and Bella were taking care of most of the work they were supposed to be doing. Even still, all the laws were taxing, the travel was unending, the confrontations didn't stop. Not every meeting was a battle, in fact, most of them were simply sorting through misunderstandings, something Aro had never done. They were gaining a good reputation, as Bella had predicted, one that was kind and fierce. A good force to have on your side.

"Edward, hurry up!" Alice called, "If we're going to make our plane home, you have to run faster than that!" Alice smirked a little as she issued her challenge, "That is, if you _can."_

Edward pulled himself from his thoughts, smiling as he shot past Alice, who laughed as they raced toward the airport where their own personal plane awaited. Edward won, of course, having always been quick on his feet. But the race had been fun. It was part of their new life that Edward didn't mind: the time just goofing with Alice. Often, after they'd finished up a mission, they'd stall for a few hours before going home, just relaxing, having fun, making the most of the time they had. And when they didn't have time to spare, they ran. Sometimes Edward let Alice win, and she'd glare at him and reprimand him for going easy on her. So that didn't happen often. But they were _enjoying_ themselves, enjoying this new lifestyle. No more high school, no overbearing house rules, no more playing human! It was freeing, wonderful, truly _great_.

But he missed his Bella.

He didn't know when he would see her again, but he hoped beyond hopes it was soon. It was improbable, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to see her. He thought of the look on her beautiful face as she demanded he return her ring and smiled. She still wanted it. He was _thrilled._ He'd only taken the ring so she wouldn't feel tied down while he was away, but he should have known better- they were _mates_, for goodness' sake.

He sighed as he came back to reality. Who knew how long it would be until his Bella returned?

Edward was in for a surprise.


End file.
